Electromagnetic-valve-controlling system.



PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904. -1. G. WATERMAN. ELECTROMAGNETIC VALVECONTROLLING SYSTEM.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTROMAGNETlC-VALVE-CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 775,020, datedNovember 15, 1904. Application filed June 25, 1903. Serial No. 163,133.(No model-i To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAc G. WATERMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Santa Barbara, in the county of Santa Barbara and State ofCalif0rnia,have invented new and useful Improvements inElectromagnetic-Valve- Controlling Systems, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to electromagneticvalve-controlling systems.

In an application which I filed May 11, 1903, Serial No. 156,672, Idisclosed an electromagnetic valve controlling system embracingelectrically-controlled supply-valves, an electrically-controlledwaste-valve, manually-operated temporary contact switches havingelectrically-operated mechanism to automaticall y throw the switches,and a float having an electrically-operated mechanism controlling theautomatic throw-off mechanism of the switches.

The present invention is designed as an improvement on the system of myapplication filed May 11, 1903, Serial No. 156,672, aforesaid, and hasfor its object the quicker operation of the automatic switch-throW-ofl'mechanism and a slower operation of the float-contact mechanism, so thatthe electrical closing mechanisms of the valves will receive theirproper quota of current and have time to act in a more reliable manner.

Having the foregoing object in view, the invention embraces those novelfeatures and combinations set forth in detail hereinafter and recited inthe appended claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention diagrammatically.

1 designates the water-receptacle, such as a bowl or bath-tub which hasthe hot and cold water supply pipes, controlled by self-closing valves,2 and 3 opened by the electrical energization of the coils 4 and 5. Thevalves close by gravity supplemented by spring action, if desired, andare locked when opened by spring-pressed cores or plungers 6 and 7,which are retracted to allow the valves to close when their coils 8 and9 are electrically energized. The electrically-operated valves aresimilar in principle to the valves of my applications Serial Nos.146,975 and 146,976.

The numerals 10 and 11 designate switches for operating the valves.These switches are similar in principle to the switches set forth in myapplications Serial Nos. 146,977 and 149,561 and have the four contactsor switchpoints 12, 13, 14, and 15, rotary tumbler 16, having contactprojections 17, and a ratchetwheel19, operated by the engagement of apawl 20, movable with a push-button 21, retracted by a spring 22. Whenthe push-button 21 is pushed in against the action'of spring 22, thepawl slips into engagement with a succeeding tooth of the ratchet-wheel19, and upon the release of the push-button the spring 22 snaps thepush-button out, thereby snapping the rotary switch 16 and causing theprojection 17 to momentarily engage the contacts 12 and 14 and completethe circuit. On the next operation of the push-button the foregoingaction Will be repeated, except that the contact projections 17 willtemporarily engage with the contacts 13 and 15.

From the generator 23 a wire 24 runs to contacts l2 and 15. From contact13 a circuit 25 runs to the coils 8 and 9 and thence by returnfeeder 26to the generator 23. Circuits 27 run from the contact 14 to the coils 4and 5 and thence to the releasing-coil 28 of the waste-valve by acircuit 29, thence to feeder 26. The waste-valve proper is shown at 30.The numeral 31 designates a core having a coned head 32, on which thewaste-valve 30 rests. When the core 31 is drawn into the magnet-coil 33,which surrounds it, the coned head 32 raises the valve 30, so that thewater drains from receptacle 1, and the core 31 is locked in thisposition by a core 34 in coil 28. The coil 33 is connected to feeder 26and to the contacts 35 of a switch 36 by circuit 37. The switch 36 hastwo other contacts 38, connected to wire 24.

In conjunction with the switches 10 and 11 I provide an armature 39,adapted to engage and turn the switch-tumbler, and a magnetcoil 40 forattracting said armature.

A float-tank 46 has a pipe connection with the bath-tub 1. In thefloat-tank is a float 47, having a contact-head 48, adapted to engagethe contacts 43 and 44 when the float has risen sufliciently by reasonof the Water reaching and allow it to close and cut off the Water.

the level at which it is desired to stop the flow. The contacts 43 and44 are carried on an armature 42, which is controlled by a magnetcoil41. A bell-crank lever 49 cooperates with the contact-head and the core,so that when the float drops the bell-crank lever projects the core fromthe magnet-coil.

The invention as thus far described is substantially the same as shownin my application filed May 11, 1903, Serial No. 156,672.

Instead of connecting the magnet-coils 40 as before I connect them inparallel on the circuit 61, which is itself connected in parallel on themagnet-coil 41, one branch, 60, of said circuit leading to one end ofthe coil 41 and the other branch, 61, leading to the normally deadcontact 43.

The branch 60 is connected to the near ends of coils 8 and 9 by acircuit branch 62.

To cause the coils 40 to receive more current, and hence make theirarmatures respond more quickly to their influence than the armature 42responds to the influence of the coil 41, the coils 40 are wound withconsiderably coarser wire than the coil 41, and hence take a greateramperage and do higher duty. In the system set forth in my applicationSerial No. 156,672, filed May 11, 1903, heretofore referred to, there isa tendency for the coil 41 to act so quickly that when the circuit isbroken at the contacts 43 44 by the attraction of said coil 41 the coils40 have not received suflicient current to throw the switches properlyto send the necessary currentthrough the coils 8 and 9 to release thevalves and allow them to close. The present improvements completelyovercome this objection.

Assuming the valves and switches to be in the positions shown and coldwater is desired, the button 21 of switch 10 is pushed in and released.The pawl 20 rides on the ratchet-wheel 19 and on the return of thepushbutton engages said wheel and snaps the tumbler to the positionindicated by dotted lines.

meanwhile causing the contact projections 17 17 to momentarily engagethe contacts 12 and 14, thus sending a temporary current through coil 4and opening valve 2, which is then locked open by core 8. The currentalso traverses coil 28 and unlocks core 31, which then drops and allowswaste-valve 30 to close by gravity. The water will continue to flow intoreceptacle 1 until the push-button of switch'lO is again operated andcontacts 13 and 15 temporarily bridged by the tumbler, whereupon atemporary current will flow through coil 9, which will unlock valve 3The water will remain in the receptacle 1 until the switch 36 isoperated to momentarily bridge contacts 35 and 38 and send a temporarycurrent through coil 33, whereupon the core 31 will be drawnup andlocked by core valve 30 and hold it open. The action of valve 2 and thewaste-valve is the same as the action of valve 3 and is controlled byswitch 11. When the water reaches the predetermined level, thecontact-head 48 bridges contacts 43 and 44, thereupon completing thecircuit" through coils 40 and 41. The coils 40 act more quickly than thecoil 41, and before the coil 41 has attracted the armature 42sufliciently to break the circuit at contacts 43, 44, and 48 theswitches have been snapped and currents sent through the coils 8 and 9to close the valves.

In this application I lay no claim to the system, except in regard tothe invention involved in maintaining the circuit of the electricalswitch-throwing means until said means can properly snap the switches toclose the valve or valves and thereafter opening said circuit, as otherfeatures of novelty involved in the present disclosures are claimed inmy copending applications Serial Nos. 156,67 2, 156,673, and 156,674.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a fluid-receptacle, of an electrically-operatedvalve controlling the fluid-supply thereto, a switch controlling thevalve, mechanism for electrically operating the switch to operate thevalve, and independent mechanism, operated when the fluid in thereceptacle assumes a predetermined position, to complete the circuit ofthe electrical switch operating mechanism and maintain said circuitclosed until the switch-throwing mechanism completes its operation andmeans to then open said circuit.

2. The combination with a fluid-receptacle, of an electrically-operatedvalve controlling the fluid-supply thereto, a switch controlling thevalve, a coarse-wound magnet for throwing the switch to operate thevalve mechanism, operated when the fluid in the receptacle assumes apredetermined position, adapted to complete the circuit of thecoarse-wound magnet, and a fine-wound magnet adapted to automaticallyopen the said circuit of the coarsewound magnet after the saidcoarse-wound magnet has thrown. the switch.

3. The combination with a fluid-receptacle, of an electrically-operatedvalve controlling the fluid-supply thereto, a switch controlling thevalve, a quick-acting magnet for throwing the switch to operate thevalve, mechanism operated when the fluid in the receptacle assumes apredetermined position, adapted to complete the circuit of thequick-acting magnet, and a slow-acting magnet adapted to antomaticallyopen the said circuit of the quickacting magnet after the saidquick-acting magnet has thrown the switch.

4. The combination with a fluid-receptacle,

' 34 and in doing this will elevate the waste- I of anelectrically-operated valve controlling the fluid-supply thereto, aswitch controlling pletion of the action of said electrical switchthevalve, mechanism for electrically-operatthrowing mechanism to open saidcircuit.

ing the switch to operate the valve, means, In testimony WhereofIhavesigned myname operated when the fluid in the receptacle asto thisspecification in the presence of tWo sub- 5 sumes a predeterminedposition, adapted to scribing Witnesses.

complete the c1rcu 1t ot the electr cal s W1te h ISAAC G NATERMANoperating mechanism and maintain sald circuit closed until theelectrical switch-throwing Witnesses:

mechanism completes its operation, and elee- WALLACE R. SEAVEY, IOtrically-operated means acting on the com- ELnER SEAVEY.

